Need Under Pressure Anti-Flip Swing Thoughts

[fronesis]

Sorry for the awful thread title.

Played a round today with a good player on a tough course. I was -1 through 7 when the wind started gusting and I hit it 30 yards long on the par 3 8th and proceeded to make 5. From there, I played about 6 holes where I made a number of awful, quick, nervous, and flippy swings (leading to a few fat shots and a few off-line shots, but either way, to many bogies). I haven't flipped it like that in months. And, by the 15th hole as I was well out of the round, I returned to hitting crisp shots without any leakage. (And at least I managed to make some pars coming in and break 80.)

So I know what I did and I know it was mental (i.e. I don't think there's anything majorly wrong with my swing). So I'm wondering if there are any other former flippers out there who have a tendency to revert to the flip when they feel nerves/pressure?

What are your swing thoughts, your mental or physical preparations for a shot that help you to avoid getting the hands overactive and flipping it?

Any thoughts much appreciated!

 

[ggsjpc]

I will purposely hit more of a punch approach shot to limit my flip. This has worked for awhile, for me.

 

[timwalsh300]

When I start hitting pull-hooks now I know that I'm flipping. Yes, it happens when I get nervous and I start to worry about hitting a big slice (the shot that haunted me for a long time). My remedy is to tell myself to "get behind the ball" and "hit it out in front." I also remind myself to trust the "twistaway" - that it will keep the slice monster away.

This is where I'm coming from with those cues: http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/golfing-discussions/12370-axis-tilt-getting-behind-ball.html

Tim

 

[ej20]

Learn to create more right arm at impact.Don't get lazy with your right side pivot.

The hit instinct will straighten the right arm too soon unbending the right wrist leading to flips,particularly under pressure.

The less you run out of right arm the more insurance you have of not flipping.

 

[timwalsh300]

Learn to create more right arm at impact.Don't get lazy with your right side pivot.

The hit instinct will straighten the right arm too soon unbending the right wrist leading to flips,particularly under pressure.

The less you run out of right arm the more insurance you have of not flipping.

This is good. I think this is ultimately what my swing thoughts help me to accomplish - getting my right shoulder further down along the swing plane.

Tim

 

[Richie3Jack]

My thoughts are generally this:

1. S-L-O-W the STARTDOWN. If I didn't emphasize that enough, re-read it about 10 times and then try it about 20 times. Not only does this cause me problems, but I'm amazed at how many golfers this hurts all of the time, from the 20 handicapper to the PGA Tour pro. Flipping is often such an impulsive thing and golfers really want to hit the ball as hard as they and they get all their maximum speed on the startdown instead of impact.

2. Max lag pressure at impact. Don't care what pressure points you use, but when you use them, you want the max pressure at impact. Pressure = speed. Max pressure = max speed. You want max pressure = max speed at impact. Not at the startdown.

3. Feel like you are trying to drive the ball into the ground. A lot of flipping is caused by not enough downward attack. So drive the ball into the ground. Or as Brian demonstrated in CoFF, imagine that pool cue going into the ball.




3JACK

 

[birdie_man]

Anti-flip:

Loose shoulders/arms/hands.

Lagging clubhead takeaway.

Left shoulder up. (hit it with your pivot)

(all applicable if face is not too open)

 

[Kevin Shields]

Send as much pressure down into right foot as possible in the transition and get the hands out in front as much as possible. Stay on right foot!

 

[Erik_K]

Send as much pressure down into right foot as possible in the transition and get the hands out in front as much as possible. Stay on right foot!

Kevin -

I don't often argue with instructors of your caliber, but if someone i flipping, maybe the last thing I would tell them is stay on the right foot (without actually seeing the swing).

Maybe I speak from my own swing issues (relative to flipping) but, for me, I need to focus pivoting better. When the pivot stops, prematurely say, the hands and arms take over and there's your flip. Many moons ago, Mike Finney said that the hands are clamps. It's the pivot that fuels the swing.

Of course, you might be refering to another issue and maybe keeping the weight on the right foot is indeed beneficial.

To get back to the original poster's question - slow the swing down. I love VJ's 'seventeen' swing thought. Make a swing and actually utter 'seventeen' as you swing. The pace isn't slow, but it should be deliberately smooth.

Take a few practice swings next to the ball. Brush the grass a little bit and LOOK - did the grass get brushed just in front of the ball? If not, concentrate on the pivot a little more and focus on the low point.

Erik

 

[rogerdodger]

Stay on right foot and lift left shoulder up, hard. I have to pivot with the left shoulder or it is flip city.

 

[vjsinger]

Kevin -

I don't often argue with instructors of your caliber, but if someone i flipping, maybe the last thing I would tell them is stay on the right foot (without actually seeing the swing).

Maybe I speak from my own swing issues (relative to flipping) but, for me, I need to focus pivoting better. When the pivot stops, prematurely say, the hands and arms take over and there's your flip. Many moons ago, Mike Finney said that the hands are clamps. It's the pivot that fuels the swing.

Of course, you might be refering to another issue and maybe keeping the weight on the right foot is indeed beneficial.

To get back to the original poster's question - slow the swing down. I love VJ's 'seventeen' swing thought. Make a swing and actually utter 'seventeen' as you swing. The pace isn't slow, but it should be deliberately smooth.

Take a few practice swings next to the ball. Brush the grass a little bit and LOOK - did the grass get brushed just in front of the ball? If not, concentrate on the pivot a little more and focus on the low point.

Erik

A thought of staying on the right foot/sending pressure in that foot is good for some, good for me in learning not to flip. It helps me to not; Overaccelerate from the top, move my right shoulder outside the plane,lunge,spin out, not counterfall,not get the hands and arms back in front of me,etc....and not flip. Which in turn may helpyour pivot so you can.....read Brians Signature. Another good way to help someone with a thought and translate to a feel.

 

[fronesis]

THANKS, everyone! Where else on the web could one find such an amazing resource.

Many of these respones are very helpful, and definitely resonate for me. Probably the most important is 3Jack's #1: when I flip it's because I get very quick at the transition.

I've got another round to play with some good players tomorrow. I'll report back then.